Never speak of USC again.

We were rooting for the Giants.

To say we’re ecstatic would be an understatement.

If you ask me, the city jinxed itself when it said we’d have the victory parade on Super Tuesday.

I mean, SERIOUSLY? We’re prioritizing tissue paper floats and Tom Brady glimpses over our constitutional right to vote?

Serves Boston right.

We’re over the Sugar Bowl.

I know that we’re officially over it when Nick proclaims, his eyes round like huge UFOs, “You know something? I’m excited for Ohio State football next year!”

My mouth is full of my burger, “You are?” Except it sounded like, “YHO AH?

“Yes! They’re going to have everyone back next year except for two guys.”

“Ok.” I am contemplating the level of danger to emotionally invest in the 2008-2009 OSU football season so soon after the Sugar Bowl.

“I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT YEAR!” He’s nearly jumping from his seat.

I remain calm and contained my emotions by maintaining distance to that prediction. It’s like we switched life roles or something.

Nick continues, his eyeballs fixated on something far far away into the future, his voice drops in thoughtfulness, “As long as they beat USC. As long as they beat USC, we’ve got a chance.”

Well, I’m glad we’re healing and Nick is planning next year already. As I finished my burger and watched his face begin contemplate how the Fall 2008 schedule will unfold, I began fearing what might happen to the Bucks in about 48 weeks should they advance that far.

Our fanhood cannot be questioned.

We’re moving on in Boston, but our hearts were broken in New Orleans.

We’re still in mourning.

Nick is now sick, too.

A very painful, “Go Bucks.”

If you know the Borchers side at all, meaning, if you know Nick at all, you know that autumn means two reliefs come into our lives: cooler weather and Ohio State Football.

There are football fans and then there are Football Fans.

Nick is a FOOTBALL FAN.

As he is now 2 weeks into theologizing, if that’s a word, his mind for the next five years, I sometimes worry that he’ll begin to take life too seriously. Seriously, talking about Augustine and the ethical facets of Rwandan genocide are definitely not the most light of topics.

So we watch Tiger and boo Phil, laugh at 0-2 Michigan, and wag our index finger at Belichek. I like to think that sports, sometimes, provides a nice break from the seriousness of our lives. I also think he likes to pretend he doesn’t take sports as seriously as he did before, but when I hear:

[couch slap] “GOSH DANGIT BENGALS, why don’t you at least try to block once in while?”

I begin to wonder,

is he getting proper respite?

So, I worry about the level of fun in our lives and try to make sure we have appropriate levels of sarcasm and pop culture to balance us out. I had him sit in front of our new baby – the laptop we just purchased (which we LOVE) – that has all sorts of fancy gadgets. We started experimenting with the distortion tools and we couldn’t stop laughing.

Now, if Michigan goes to 0-3 against the Irish today, you’ll hear our guffawing from Boston.